DHHS/Administration for Children and Families, Division of Acquisition Management, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Washington, DC 20447

R -- EARLY HEAD START NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER SOL 105-98-2055 DUE 062398 POC Ben Ben Sharp, Contract Spec., (202)401-5408; Debbie Powell, Contracting Officer, (202)205-4916 The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Head Start Bureau, seeks the services of a contractor to provide technical assistance and training support to Early Head Start grantees to help them achieve improved program performance. The purpose of Early Head Start, a program for low-income families with infants and toddlers and pregnant women, is to enhance children's physical, social, emotional and intellectual development; to support parents in fulfilling their parental roles; to help parents move toward self-sufficiency; to strengthen community support; and to develop highly trained and competent staff. The contractor will provide or arrange for the following training and technical assistance : (1) organizing and maintaining a resource network/consultant list of national and local experts and teachers; (2) providing leadership in setting the training aggenda for Early Head Start programs; (3) assisting the Head Start Bureau in planning and implementing conferences; (4) providing assistance to the Quality Improvement Centers and to the Central and Regional Office staff so they may effectively provide training that will meet best practices and the program performance standards for infants and toddlers; (5) designing strategies which address the on-going need for intensive training; (6) participating in national Head Start meetings; (7) providing presentations and/or workshops; (8) assisting Early Head Start grantees access CDA Infant/Toddler endorsement training; (9) collecting, adapting and disseminating a variety of materials that will enable Early Head Start programs to operate a high quality child and family development program. The period of performance is twelve months with four one-year options, if exercised. Interested parties should request RFP 105-98-2055. The anticipated release date is May 22, 1998. All requests for the RFP must be in writing. No telephone requests will be honored. All responsible sources may submit an offer which will be considered. (0127)

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